A knee orthosis (KAFO) is a leg brace having an upper section removably attached about the upper leg and a lower section removably attached about the lower leg. The two sections are hinged together by sidebars on the medial (inner) and lateral (outer) side of the leg to allow for knee movement. It is termed a knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) when the lower orthosis section extends down around the ankle and underneath the foot to provide greater attachment stability and to transmit forces from the foot to the upper leg.
Conventional KAFO's are assembled in the following manner. During the first session with the patient, measurements are taken and a female cast is made of the leg. From the female cast a male cast is made, which is a replica of the leg. Measurements are transferred onto the male cast. Thigh and calf bands and sidebars are made to fit the male cast. This includes bending the rigid metal sidebars into S-shapes to conform with the contours of the leg. The various components are then riveted together to complete the KAFO. During the second session with the patient, the KAFO is fitted to the patient's leg. Modifications may be necessary to achieve a proper fit.
This method is labor intensive and inconvenient as it requires at least two sessions with the patient. Furthermore, the conventional KAFO, being made up of metal, plastic and sometimes leather, is not aesthetically pleasing, and tends to become noisy after it has been in use for some time.